


Bounty Hunter 101: How to Catch a Criminal

by Hitaka5Ever



Series: Bounty Hunter 101 [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Genre: Drug Dealer, Gangsters, M/M, Mikylux - Freeform, Modern Day, Multi, Murder, NSFW, Other, Sex, Stormpilot, Violence, Weapons Dealer, bounty hunter AU, gay porn, hitaka, kytaka, sexual favors
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-19
Updated: 2020-01-14
Packaged: 2020-12-24 11:00:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 14,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21098381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hitaka5Ever/pseuds/Hitaka5Ever
Summary: —Bounty Hunter AU— Mitaka, the youngest Bounty Hunter in the state of New York, gets more than he bargained for when he decides to apprehend a fugitive who failed to appear for his court date on a drug possession charge. In order to catch this infamous drugs and weapons dealer, he must outsmart his opponent, all the while protecting what little he has to offer





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> *EDIT* I have altered the relationships for this fic a bit. Originally Kylo Ren and Mitaka were going to be boyfriends, but I've made Hux his boyfriend instead. Kylo Ren is now the gangster. My apologies to anyone that read this first chapter already and will be confused for chapter 2 when you see the names switched around. A notice will be written at the start of chapter 2 for clarity also. Apologies for any inconvenience!
> 
> There will be 2 stories for this. Story 1-Chapter 1 starts as a time skip to 7 months in the future for a few paragraphs, then it goes back to 7 months ago where Mitaka's (as a bounty hunter) journey begins. Then Story 2-Chapter 1 will tie in with the first paragraphs of Story 1-Chapter 1. Hopefully that won't be too confusing since I only time skip once!

A cold sting was in the air. In the middle of a large, empty warehouse with only a few wooden crates and boxes scattered around, a group of men were standing behind two others, watching the scene before them unfold. Some had bruises on their faces and arms from a small fight minutes before. One of the two was a black-haired man with dark eyes, who wore a black business suit with black tie. In a crouch before him, a brown-haired, brown-eyed, young man, who was the youngest bounty hunter in the state of New York, had a pained look on his face as he stared at the uncatchable, infamous drug and weapons dealer of New York City. How could this moment have come to this? The young man thought the man had accepted his decision from two months back, especially since he hadn’t tried stopping him when he walked away. Then why did he have a gun pointed in his face?

The man’s face held no emotion. His arm that held the gun did not waver. The young man’s eyes were swimming, his brow furrowed tight. Confusion and fear flowed through him. The man had his finger pressed to the trigger, the gun cocked. No one moved or uttered a sound. Was he really going to kill him? All the young man could think about at that sudden moment was his and the man’s complicated relationship that had ended almost as soon as it began…

**Seven Months Earlier…**

“I’m off to work now, ma!”

The front door of a pretty basic, two-story house slammed shut. Stepping off the porch, a brown-haired, twenty-six year old, known as Dopheld Mitaka, wearing a plain gray shirt and dark Denim blue jeans with white basketball shoes headed for a black car sitting at the curb. Dim orange light from the heavens came out in streaks through the many trees of this decent-sized neighborhood. It was an hour past sunrise. Mitaka reached the car, unlocked it with his clicker, and then got in. Once the engine came to life, he put it into drive before pushing on the gas pedal and moving forward. As he picked up speed, the young man pulled out onto the street and then headed off.

For a few minutes, Dopheld drove through several neighborhoods before reaching the start of the city limits. It wasn’t too busy yet and there were only a few dozen or so cars driving around. At the moment, he ignored the stores and shops and other smaller businesses and he soon pulled off to get to a different residential area that wasn’t the safest or cleanest section of the city. Minutes later, the black Subaru pulled into an apartment complex parking lot. The young man pulled up close to one of the apartments, where a tall, red-haired thirty year old was waiting on the sidewalk. He wore a button-up shirt with a Letterman's jacket zipped up around him and faded blue jeans. His shoes were crisp white sneakers with a red-orange design along the sides. The car pulled to the curb and then stopped. Unfolding his arms, the older man walked around to the passenger side, opened the door somewhat forcefully, and then got in, slamming the door shut hard. Mitaka scowled weakly at him.

“Well good morning to you too, Hux.”

"Oh just drive."

Shrugging, Mitaka reversed the vehicle and then headed out of the parking lot. Hux was scowling as he stared out the window, clearly ticked off about something, but not wanting to talk about it. Mitaka mentally reminded himself to probe him on the information later. After driving for a few minutes in silence, Mitaka decided it was too boring and started a conversation, whether Hux participated or not.

“So, how was your night?” There was no response. As if Hux had answered, Mitaka said, "Well I didn't do much last night, except watch the baseball game that was on. Was pretty boring.”

There was another long pause after this short explanation, but Hux soon glanced at Mitaka out of the corner of his eye. "My grandfather died last night."

They were lucky that Mitaka had to stop the car at a red light, otherwise he would've slammed on the brakes or cause an accident out of shock. Mitaka gave him a sympathetic look. "I'm so sorry, Hux. I know he meant a lot to you."

Hux just shrugged as he looked back out the window, not saying another word. Mitaka quickly squeezed his shoulder briefly before looking to the traffic light and watching it turn green. A few minutes later, he pulled to the curb of a small business. On the large window, the words “Snoke’s Bondsman Agency” were painted in bold, red letters. A sign with the hours of business was propped on the inside corner of the large window by the door. As Mitaka was turning the car off, Hux quickly got out, stepped onto the sidewalk, slammed his door shut, and then walked to the door. Getting out too, Mitaka locked the doors with the driver side lock button, walked around the car, and followed in after him.

Mitaka was a bounty hunter. The youngest in the state, or so he was told. He worked for a retired militant and former bounty hunter pro named Snoke, no first name for some reason. Bounty hunters went out and caught FTAs, or Failure To Appears. Basically, FTAs were law-breakers who had missed their scheduled court dates after bail had been set. Some broke huge laws, while others had minor offenses. Depending on the severity of the crime, they were fined quite a bit of money. If bailed out of jail, the one who fronted the cash had to sign a bond agreement. If the criminal became FTA, part of their property became collateral damage, usually a vehicle or house, sometimes multiple vehicles. If the bounty hunter couldn’t catch the criminals, the collateral would be taken in order to pay the court. If that happened, then the bonding agency would lose tons of money. If an FTA is caught, the bounty hunters take them back to the police station in order for them to get rescheduled for a new court date. The bounty hunters received ten percent of the bail amount and would return to their bosses with a slip of paper. Then they would get a check to cash in for their hard work. So far, Mitaka had recaptured ninety-six FTAs. He was aiming for his one hundredth capture before the end of the year.

Mitaka had been lucky to get a job at Snoke’s Bonding Agency. If it hadn’t been for his late father’s military connections, he would still be sitting at home doing mostly nothing. Having been home schooled, Mitaka hadn’t had many friends as a kid. It wasn’t until he joined Snoke’s Bonding Agency that he had someone to talk to. He had made friends with an ex-juvenile delinquent named Armitage Hux, nicknamed Hux by his choosing, who was the receptionist at the agency. In the beginning, Hux never smiled or seemed to enjoy life much and Mitaka hadn’t liked him at first, but they grew used to each other quickly. They had been friends for almost three years now. It wasn’t until last year that they became more than just friends.

One night after a dull day at work, Hux had asked Mitaka out on a date out of the blue. At the time, Mitaka had been extremely shy about it. Sure he knew that perhaps he was gay or even bi—he always had such a feeling since he was seven years old—but he had never been in any sort of intimate relationship before. After realizing that Mitaka was uncomfortable, Hux had apologized and told him to forget about it. But Mitaka had said that it was okay and that he would go out with him. So a few nights later, they went to a movie and then to Hux’s apartment to hang out and play video games. It didn’t take Mitaka long to start feeling something unknown towards his best friend. He even took the first step by grabbing Hux’s hand when they went on another movie date. Soon after, they became boyfriends and Mitaka knew that he liked other guys more. In fact, after only eight months, he decided that he loved Hux. Luckily, Hux felt the same way back and they had been inseparable ever since. They kept their relationship a secret though, since they worked together. Besides, Mitaka wasn’t ready to let others know that he was gay, especially not to his family or co-workers. There was no telling what everyone’s views on the gay community were and he didn’t want to make anyone he knew and loved feel differently about him. One day he would tell them, possibly when he was able to move into his own house and hardly ever see those he was close with, he sometimes mused.

Regardless of what anyone else thought, though, Mitaka was a good bounty hunter and he loved his job. It meant the world to him and he wouldn’t let anyone take that away, no matter what.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I placed an EDIT in both of last chapter's Chapter Notes about a character reversal change that I decided upon out of the blue. Originally Ben Solo | Kylo Ren was going to be Mitaka's boyfriend and Hux was going to be the gangster, but after more consideration on my part, I realized, based on Hux and Ren's personalities, that Ren was better suited for the gangster role than Hux, as you'll likely notice in later chapters
> 
> For those who've already read chapter 1 and then read this and are confused, here's why and I hope you'll continue to enjoy this story! I would re-read chapter 1 also, as there's mention of Hux's grandfather passing away the night before, hence Hux's brooding mood for the next few chapters

After clocking in, Hux went behind the desk and sat down, pushing the power button of the computer on. When Mitaka entered, he walked past the desk to enter a backroom. He knocked twice before slowly and carefully opening the door. He stepped into a medium-sized office room. At the opposite side of the door was a desk with papers and office supplies organized on it. The walls were covered with old and current Wanted posters, some sports' memorabilia, and group and solitary photos. Sitting behind the desk was a tall and slender man with gangly thin arms, about six-foot-three, had cold gray eyes, almost no black hair, and wore a NAVY Seal shirt with black jeans and old army boots. He was looking at several pieces of paper stapled together when Mitaka walked up to the desk. Mitaka smiled at him.

“Morning, Snoke, sir.”

After reading one more line, Snoke, Mitaka’s boss and a former bounty hunter, flipped the pages back to page one and set it aside. He looked up, looking peeved for no reason.

“Yes, Dopheld, what do you need?” he asked in a mostly smooth smoker’s voice.

Reaching into his jean pocket, Mitaka pulled out his wallet, opened it, and took out a few slips of paper, before stepping closer to the desk and handing them over. Snoke snatched them away and looked through them. The slips had a big dollar amount listed on the right and there was a signature on each of them at the very bottom on a line. Setting them down, Snoke grabbed a pen from the holder, clicked it open, and then scribbled a quick signature at the bottom of each one. He then put them in the IN box on the upper right corner of his desk, close to Mitaka. Looking up, Snoke stared blankly at him.

“I must say, Dopheld, that I am very impressed with you.”

Mitaka blushed slightly at the compliment. Snoke was hardly one for praise, so it almost came as a surprise. “Oh, thank you, sir.”

“I would also like to inform you that you are nearing your one hundredth capture. With how young you are and how short of a time you have worked for me, that is quite remarkable. You are doing society a great favor for all of your help.” Mitaka rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. “You are also a lifesaver for me and this business. Good job.”

Mitaka smiled. “Thanks, sir.”

Snoke grunted. “Yes, yes, of course, now go away.”

Nodding, Mitaka turned around, reached the door, and opened it. He gently closed the door behind him and stepped towards Hux’s desk when a six-foot tall, Guatemalan, thirty-two year old closed the front door behind him. This was another bounty hunter that worked for Snoke, named Poe Dameron. He had brown hair and brown eyes that were partly hidden by a glare, which seemed to be directed straight at Mitaka. Before they met halfway, Poe Dameron walked a little to the left to head for Snoke’s office. The two bounty hunters greeted each other quietly, but coldly as they passed.

“Hey.”

“Yo.”

Poe Dameron didn’t bother knocking on the door as he entered Snoke’s office. Mitaka relaxed after the door had closed. Poe and Mitaka never got along. They were rivals since day one when Mitaka started working there. They rarely spoke to each other, but when they did, it was unfriendly and hostile. Poe had gotten into a fight or two with Mitaka on some occasions. There was no telling why he hated the younger hunter so much. Stopping at the desk, Mitaka stared at Hux, who was filling out forms on the computer.

“I’m going to Dunkin Donuts for breakfast. Should we get the usual?”

Hux saved what he had typed before glancing at him. “Yes, fine.”

“Alright,” Mitaka answered. Turning to the right, he headed for the door. “I’ll be back soon for my files.”

“Okay.”

Mitaka just smiled weakly at him, knowing he was acting colder than normal due to the passing of his grandfather. After a good-bye, he walked out the door, moved around the front of his car to reach the driver side, and was about to unlock it when something came to his attention. First, he looked at the front of his car and saw a car parked right in front of him. Then he slowly looked to the back end. What he saw made his blank face turn into an angry one.

“Oh you sonuva-”

Directly behind Mitaka’s car and hardly giving him any room to pull out of the space, was Poe Dameron’s sleek, black Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta with tinted windows. Whelp, at least this easily explained why Poe Dameron hadn’t been a complete dick to Mitaka inside. Sighing heavily in aggravation, Mitaka turned on his heel and started down the street on foot, not wanting to waste anymore time. One day, he would get back at Poe Dameron for all of this, mark his words.

* * *

Later on that afternoon, Mitaka stood in front of Hux’s desk with his hands in his pockets.

“Got anything exciting for me today? Something other than B&Es?”

Hux shuffled through his folder box on his desk while Mitaka glanced at the ones directly on it. One caught his eye. Reaching over, he picked up the file and read the name on the tab at the top: Ben Solo. The name sounded familiar to him, but he couldn’t place it. Mitaka opened the folder and read through the pages carefully. Slowly, a smirk formed on his face. It was a good thing Poe was out trying to catch two other FTAs already today…

“Hey, is anyone taking this one?”

Hux stopped what he was doing and turned to him. Taking the folder, he read the page quickly. After he was done, he looked back at Mitaka, his eyes looking discomforting.

“No, but I’d rather you didn’t.”

Mitaka blinked in confusion. “Why not? He’s just an ordinary FTA who missed his court date on a drug possession charge. I’ve dealt with gangsters before.”

“Well, yes, but that’s Kylo Ren, the _biggest_ drug and weapons dealer in the country, as well as Britain and Mexico. He’s far more dangerous than anyone, trust me.”

So that’s where Mitaka had heard the name before. Everyone and their brothers knew about Ben Solo, aka Kylo Ren. Everyone knew he was corrupt, but, due to the justice system, no one could ever pin crimes on him. He was _that _good. It was almost surprising that he had been caught with drugs for the very first time.

Mitaka snorted. “I’m not afraid of guys like him. Maybe he was busy or he forgot his court date. I’ll just ask him to come with me to the police station and reschedule. No big deal.”

Hux stared at Mitaka silently for a long time before casually handing the file back over to him. With a small smile, Mitaka took it and read the information more closely. The person who signed for the bond was someone named Penelope Phasma. The bond was set for ten thousand dollars. Mitaka would receive ten percent of the bond if he recovered his FTA. Two addresses were listed for residence. One was for a warehouse just off of Hamilton and the other was for Ren’s home, which was two miles outside of town in a secluded place. When he had Ren’s picture and information memorized, Mitaka closed the folder and handed it back to Hux, who set it down before looking at him worriedly. Mitaka blinked at the strange look.

“Just, you know…be careful.”

Mitaka chuckled softly. “I’ve never seen you this worried about me before.” Hux scowled softly at him. Mitaka threw his hands up in surrender, saying, “Hey, if I see any needles or AK-47’s near him, I’ll haul ass.”

Hux glared at him. “I’m serious. I’ve already lost one person I love this week, I don’t want it happening again any time soon.”

Mitaka blinked at him a few times before moving to the side of the desk, crouching down next to Hux’s chair, and grabbing his hand and squeezing it firmly. “Hey, you know how careful I am when I’m out there. I promise not to let my guard down around him, okay?”

The two men stared blankly at each other for a long, silent moment, but then Hux looked down, turned his hand palm up, and then squeezed Mitaka’s hand back.

“You do great and catch that bastard.”

Mitaka smiled. “I will.”

For the first time that day, Hux smiled, albeit a very tiny one. “I love you.”

Standing back up while staying slightly hunched, Mitaka leaned in and gave Hux a three seconds kiss. “I love you too.”

They kissed again before releasing each others’ hands, Mitaka stood up straight, blew Hux a kiss, which made him smile a little more, and then turned and left the small building. He headed for his black car that was at the curb. This time, there was no one blocking him in. He seethed momentarily at the remembrance. Speaking of his car, it was perfectly polished and didn’t have a nick or speck of dirt on it. Taking out his keys, Mitaka clicked the unlock button. The car made a _bleep-bleep_ sound. Grabbing the handle, he opened the door and moved inside sideways. He then sat down, inserted the key into the ignition, and then closed his door. After buckling up, he turned the key. The car revved to life. After checking his mirrors, he looked out his window, waited for the street to be clear beforehand, and headed out with turn signal blinking. Once on the street, he put the car into drive and started rolling. At the traffic light after half a minute of driving, he turned right at twenty-five miles per hour and then pushed on the gas pedal. The car made a soft, revved-up engine sound as it picked up speed. It vanished when Mitaka drove steadily on.

It took fifteen minutes to reach Hamilton. Turning up onto the drive, Mitaka slowed down as he reached a gate. After a few seconds, it started opening sideways of its own accord. When his car could fit, Mitaka drove into the lot and drove to the parking lot by the small office building. The gate closed behind him. He stopped the car in a parking space, turned it off, and got out. Putting the keys in his pocket, Mitaka headed for the warehouses. There were forty in all, each cut into three, large, equal spaces. Mitaka made his way to the seventh building. Ren’s warehouse was set in the middle. There was a small door that led into a small office and then a larger door for vehicles to move through beside it. Going to the office door, Mitaka read the small plaque: Registered to Mr. Ren and Co.

‘_This must be where he keeps his merchandise.’_

Mitaka hummed softly. If he could get photos of any drugs or weapons that may be inside, the man would be off the street in a heart beat. Though, of course, maybe Ren wasn’t that stupid. Mitaka scratched the back of his head quickly before lifting his fist and knocking on the door. He waited a few seconds to see if anyone answered. When he heard nothing, he knocked again.

“Um, Ben Solo, you there?” Mitaka waited for any sounds of movement or breathing for a few seconds. He knocked again when nothing happened. “Mr. Solo, I’m Mitaka from Snoke’s Bondsman Agency. I need to talk to you.” The only sound around was the wind and Mitaka’s beating heart. Sighing, he looked around to see if anyone was around or coming. When he didn’t see any shadows or hear anything, he looked back at the door and slowly reached for the handle. He gripped it but paused. “It’s probably locked.”

Taking a chance, Mitaka turned the handle. He was actually surprised to hear a soft click as the door opened. Slowly pushing the door inward, Mitaka peered around it to look into the office. It was pretty plain. There was a small desk with a desktop computer sitting on it. The walls were bare and the place was clean. After looking out one more time, Mitaka entered the room and silently closed the door. He justified himself coming in here since he only entered and never broke in. Plus, he needed to see if Ren was in the warehouse. That’s what was nice about being a bounty hunter: didn’t need a warrant to go searching for his perp.

Across the room was another door that led into the warehouse itself. Going to it, Mitaka turned the handle. The door was unlocked, so he opened it and stepped through, closing the door gently behind him. When he was a few feet inside, Mitaka was a little disappointed in what he saw. He expected hundreds, maybe thousands of wooden crates filled with illegal substances and weapons inside the large space, but it was pretty much empty. Near the end, about three-fourths into the room, stood a few, long tables with papers, tools, and machines on them. There were a few trashcans with shredded papers and documents inside. There were also a few open crates near-by, but from what Mitaka could tell from his standing point, they were completely empty except for some protection straw. Mitaka stared at the pitiful display in disappointment.

“Well this is lame.”

Still, it couldn’t hurt to look a bit, right? Ignoring his common sense to leave, Mitaka walked further into the warehouse, moving towards the tables. He looked in the crates and trashcans for anything valuable to him or the police, but he couldn’t read any of the shredded pieces. He then looked at the pages on the tables. Some had faded words on them or were blank. Others were old invoices and inventory lists. Either Ren and his employees had a secret code to hide their true merchandise from investigators or they really were just trying to buy Girl Scout cookies and boxed and canned goods for charity. One page did catch Mitaka’s eye though. Shifting through the papers, he grabbed the corner of one and pulled it out from underneath the others. On the left-hand corner of the page was a big logo with the initials S and E in big letters, with the rest of the word spelled out in smaller font: Solo Enterprises. An odd symbol sat behind the words in red.

Mitaka started to read the words on the paper when a deep, male voice asked, “May I, _help_, you?”

Mitaka jumped in surprise, his eyes wide. He had also dropped the paper, which was fluttering to the floor. Slowly looking over his shoulder, he saw a black-haired man standing near the end of the table. He was six feet tall and wore green army pants and a black tank top. A pair of black army boots was on his feet. Mitaka turned to face him, recognizing Ren’s face from his photo. He grinned sheepishly.

“Ben Solo?”

Mitaka noted that Ren’s face held no emotion. It was almost…eerie.

“Yes? And you are?”

Reaching into the pocket of his jeans, Mitaka pulled out a plain white business card with his name and Bondsman Agency name and address typed on it. He held it up briefly for Ren to see it.

“I’m Mitaka from Snoke’s Bondsman Agency. You had a court date yesterday that you missed. I was asked to find you and take you to the police station to reschedule. My car is just inside the parking lot and it would only take thirty minutes or so to get you a new one.”

Again, Ren’s expression did not change. Mitaka swallowed inconspicuously at the blank stare. Maybe this is what worried people about the man? Or maybe it was his cold and calculating, dark eyes. They did creep Mitaka out a bit.

“Aren’t you a bit _young_ to be a bounty hunter?”

“Um, yeah, kinda. The youngest in existence, or so I’m told.”

“That is very ambitious.”

Mitaka smiled softly. “Beats going to law school or the police academy, that’s for sure.” Mitaka glanced at Ren’s boots and pants. “You know, I was expecting a business suit and tie.”

“Is that so?”

Mitaka nodded. “It may be illegal, but your company is still a company.” A feeling of hostility suddenly appeared around them. Mitaka swallowed hard when he realized it was coming from Ren. Lowering his head, he started walking towards him. “Erm, okay, I think I should go.”

Mitaka was about to walk past him, but Ren smashed his hand roughly into his shoulder, forcing him backwards two steps. Mitaka’s heart beat loudly in his chest as he stared at him. Ren’s face was still the same as before, but the slightest hint of annoyance flickered in his eyes.

“Enlighten me. What sort of _company_ do you think I _keep_?” he asked, his voice calm.

Mitaka swallowed hard, trying to find his voice. Why did he have to open his big fat mouth? “I didn’t mean for it to come out that way. I have no actual proof if you are what everyone says you are. That comment was totally stupid of me.”

Ren stepped towards him. “You haven’t answered my _question_.”

Mitaka stood his ground, but that was more from fear than bravery. There was no telling what kind of violence Ren was capable of. The man was directly in front of him now, staring down at him. Mitaka had to crane his head up to see his still blank face.

“Um, yeah, I don’t think I want to.” Mitaka flinched when Ren placed his hand gently on his shoulder. The words poured out of him before he could stop himself. “You keep close contact with other, minor drug and weapons dealers, you are the biggest gangster North America has ever known and, and— I am _so_ going to die right now, aren’t I?”

There was a long, harsh pause between them. Mitaka was worried he had wet himself. How embarrassing would that be? He suddenly blinked in surprise, not sure if he was actually seeing it. A small smirk tugged at the corner of Ren’s mouth. He lowered his hand from Mitaka’s shoulder and turned around. Mitaka couldn’t move from his spot.

“There is no reason to worry about me, little bounty hunter,” Ren said as he walked away. “I will take myself to the police station to reschedule tonight. You have a good day.”

Mitaka watched Ren enter the small office and then heard him leave. He stood there for a minute before he shook himself out of his stupor. He let out the breath he didn’t remember holding. A sudden snort escaped him.

“Jesus Christ, you big damn chicken!” Turning to a table, Mitaka thunked his forehead on the wood. He then waved his arms in the air above his head as he ranted. “You got scared for nothing! He’s just a _man_ for Pete’s sake; you’ve dealt with them before! You stupid, dumb, little-! Ugh!”

Jerking his body back up and around, Mitaka stomped his way towards the door, his arms held stiffly at his sides. How could he have humiliated himself like that? He almost shit his pants in front of Ren. And then he failed to catch him for his ten percent of the bond. This was the worst day in bounty hunter history!

Mitaka slammed his car door shut when he got to it. Shoving the key in the ignition, he yanked it forward and the car started. With a huffy sigh, he went into reverse, turned his wheels to the left a few seconds as he backed up, and then put the car into gear. He left the lot, turning right sharply to get onto the deserted street. Putting his foot down, Mitaka zoomed through the streets of New York City, suddenly craving a chocolate shake from Lenny’s Burger Joint on Jefferson Avenue. He wouldn’t feel better until he had his damn shake!

Twenty minutes later, Mitaka returned to the office, parking right across from the front door. He sucked his ice cream through the thick, pink straw as he made his way into the small building. He was feeling much better now with food in his stomach. Hux looked up from the computer when Mitaka stopped in front of the desk. He saw the mellow look on Mitaka’s face, which usually was a bad sign. Then he saw the shake and realized something must be wrong.

“Babe, you okay?”

Mitaka jerked his head in his direction, looking surprised. “Huh?” Hux blinked. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. Why? Do you think something’s wrong?”

“Because you only eat chocolate substances when something’s wrong.”

Mitaka looked at his shake for a few seconds, his eyes wide. Clearing his throat, he tossed the half-empty plastic cup into the trashcan. “That wasn’t a famous chocolate shake from Lenny’s, nooooo-ohhhhhhh!” Mitaka slumped into a chair by the desk. Hux turned his chair around to see him. They were silent for a few seconds. When the red-haired young man kept staring at him calmly, Mitaka sighed in defeat. “Today was the _worst _day _ever_. I almost screwed up big time because I have a big mouth.”

Hux cocked his head ever so slightly to the side. “Did Kylo Ren scare you or something?”

Mitaka lifted his hand, holding his pointer finger and thumb close together to make a very minuscule space. “I was _this_ close to having a broken arm or jaw because of what I did.” Mitaka explained to Hux what had happened at the warehouse and what Ren said. “Then he just smirked at me and said not to worry and left.”

Hux’s eyebrows perked up in surprised curiosity. “You just let him _go_?”

Mitaka threw his arms into the air. “I was rooted to the floor! Besides, he said he’d go to the police station tonight and reschedule himself! Sure I got cut out of my ten percent, but it was better than getting my head blown off!” Hux suddenly burst out laughing. A morbid look crossed Mitaka’s face. So much for feeling depressed ver the death of his grandfather last night. “WHAT?!”

It almost took a full sixty seconds for Hux to calm down. Tears of laughter ran down his face. He wiped them away, chuckling. “Oh…Ohmygod…Oh man that is hil_arious_!”

Mitaka growled lowly at him. “I would _really_ like to know what you’re blabbering on like an idiot about.”

Hux sucked in a breath. “Th-The only idiot is you!”

Mitaka was so confused. “What did _I_ do?”

Hux soon recovered, a small, forced laugh ending it all. “Babe, honey, I’m only going to tell you this because I care. Never, _ever_, trust a criminal when they say they’re going to reschedule _themselves_.”

“Erm…why?”

“Because they won’t do it!” Hux said with another laugh. “Christ, and you’ve been a bounty hunter for how long?” Mitaka glared at him strangely. When he saw the look, Hux turned sympathetic. “Sorry. I guess I should cut you some slack. Kylo Ren can turn the tables so fast you won’t know what happened before it’s too late. I highly doubt he’s going to get a new court date, so you can try again tomorrow. Unless, you’d rather hand this job over to Poe. I would rather you do that then go back out there anyway.”

Mitaka’s face soon softened. He sighed, sounding exhausted. “No, I’ll keep going with this case. I’ll get a good night’s sleep after dinner tonight and be ready for Kylo Ren tomorrow.” He stood up and stretched. “Well, I’ll text you before I go to bed. It’s going to be a long night though. The whole family’s gonna be over for dinner.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Hux said, shutting down the computer. He stood up and came out from behind the desk. “I have to speak to family about my grandfather anyway. Just don’t get too bored.”

Mitaka smiled at him as they stood facing each other. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. Every dinner with the family is super lame.”

“That I know all too well.”

Lifting his hand to Hux’s neck, Mitaka lifted himself onto his toes and kissed him softly for a few seconds. He then turned around and headed for the door. “Night.”

“Good night.”

Mitaka waved before walking out the door and returning to his car. He got in, turned it on, and then headed for home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And done! As I said in the beginning note, Hux and Ren's character roles have been switched around: Hux is now Mitaka's boyfriend and Ren is now the gangster. I did this due to Ren and Hux's personalities. In the Star Wars books, its hinted that Hux is a virgin, so him being the bad ass gangster wouldn't work for what happens in the plot of the story, but Ren does. My apologies for any confusion, but hopefully this clears things up!
> 
> Thank you for reading ^^


	3. Chapter 3

It took nearly fifteen minutes to return home. Mitaka had to park a few houses down since his usual spot was taken over by a Cadillac. He walked around to the back yard, having to open the gate door before he could get inside. On the patio, Mitaka’s younger brothers and sisters and some cousins were running around and being annoying, but he ignored them.

“Mamma! Dophie’s home!”

The back glass door opened and a slightly portly woman stuck her curly brown-haired head out. Mitaka stopped below the porch step to look at her.

“You’re late! Your date has been waiting for an hour!”

Mitaka’s brow furrowed in confusion. “My date?”

“Yes, Satine’s daughter, Rey.”

Mitaka frowned. “Who?!”

“Just get in here!” his mother snapped while grabbing his arm and yanking him inside the kitchen. Mitaka grumbled as his mother led them into the living room where a bunch of his family and some friends were sitting as they waited for dinner to be ready. On a guest chair, a young woman with brown, pony-tailed hair and hazel eyes was staring at a cell phone as she typed away. The woman next to her, assumingly Satine, looked up when Mitaka and his mother stopped in front of them. “Dopheld, this is Satine Kenobi and her daughter, Rey. Satine, Rey, this is my oldest middle child, Dopheld.”

Satine smiled at him, while Rey continued to stare at her phone. “It is nice to meet you, Dopheld.” She quickly placed her hand over Rey’s phone. “Rey, honey, say hello to Dopheld.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Rey caught a glimpse of Mitaka, who looked about ready to murder his whole family. “Hey. Ow!”

Satine had just backhanded Rey’s arm. “Well don’t just sit there, you have a dinner date to get to!”

Rey glared at her. “Mom, I already told you, I-!” Rey stopped when her mother gave her a dark look. Scowling, Rey shoved herself out of the chair, pocketed her cell in her jeans, and then turned to Mitaka, looking him up and down once. “Wanna go out to dinner?” she asked begrudgingly.

“He would _love_ to,” Mitaka’s mother said quickly. Mitaka glared weakly at his mother, unable to believe this shit. She moved to the dining room table, picked up a credit card, and then handed it to him. “Go wherever you’d like. We will see you afterward.”

Mitaka sighed. “Yes, ma.” Rolling her eyes, Rey walked away and went to the front door to leave. With an annoyed roll of his own eyes, Mitaka followed her and then they left, heading for his car. Neither spoke as they reached it. Mitaka unlocked all the doors before getting in, Rey following suit in the passenger seat. They sat there silently for a bit, Rey back to typing on her phone. Mitaka soon glanced at her with a weak glare. “Where do you want to go, then?”

“Don’t care,” Rey replied.

Looking at his wheel, Mitaka inserted his key and turned it on. “_Great_.” He put the car into drive and then sped off through his neighborhood, cursing his mother for a long time as they drove without a word. After a while, the air cleared somewhat and Mitaka felt less annoyed about the whole situation. He soon sighed once they were in the city limits. “Look, I’m sorry you got dragged into all this.”

Rey glanced at him. “You…didn’t want this either?” Mitaka shook his head before turning the corner onto a new street. Rey then looked back at her phone. “I’m sorry too.”

Mitaka snorted. “Moms, am I right?”

Rey finally smiled faintly at this. “Widowed moms to be more precise.”

Mitaka jerked his head in her direction. “Wait, your dad is-?”

Rey put her phone away and turned slightly in the seat to look at Mitaka better. “Yeah, when I was ten. He was in the Ukraine on a humanitarian trip when his transportation was bombed. Mom hasn’t been the same since.”

Mitaka looked back out the windshield, stopping at a light. “Mine too.”

“…So, where do you wanna eat?”

Mitaka thought about this for a moment, but then an idea struck him. Looking at Rey, he asked, “Do you like pie?”

* * *

The two forced daters pulled into the parking lot of a small diner that was open 24/7. They got out and went inside, going to a booth near the back. Rey picked up her menu after their waitress stopped by with them and water. Mitaka kindly denied one since he already knew what he wanted. Rey glanced up at him.

“I see you’ve been here before.”

“Yeah, most of my siblings and I used to come here with dad all the time when we were younger. I always get the special and apple crumble pie. I haven’t been here in a long time, though.”

“Why?” Rey asked, already deciding on the all-day breakfast plate.

“Just…too many fond memories, that’s all.”

Rey nodded. “My dad used to take me to the water park in Vancouver, so I haven’t gone there since. Kinda bittersweet that we have a lot in common.”

Mitaka fiddled with his silverware as they waited for their waitress to return to take their orders. “Well, not really. Unless you’re-”

“Your gaydar is _terrible_,” Rey blurted out.

Mitaka jerked his head up. “Huh?!” Rey just stifled a laugh by smiling awkwardly. Mitaka blushed. “Oh, you’re-”

“A lesbian, yes.”

Mitaka looked back at the table, gently scratching his temple. “No wonder you were annoyed.”

Before they could talk about something else, the waitress came back, took their orders, and then they waited for their dinners to arrive.

“So, let me guess, your mom has _no idea_ you like men,” Rey said, spot on.

Mitaka shook his head while looking up. “No one but you and my boyfriend knows.”

“Same. Well, I still have yet to find myself a girlfriend, but yeah.” With that cat out of the bag, Mitaka felt better about this evening. “So you have a boyfriend, huh? What’s his name?”

“Hux.”

“That name sounds familiar. Is he famous or something?”

“Eh, yes and no. He comes from a long line of famous, rich ancestors and his father is super wealthy. Hux’s full name is Armitage Hux and his father is Brendol Hux. They…have a bad relationship, so Hux doesn’t talk about his family much. He found out that his grandfather on his late mother’s side died last night, but that’s the extent of my knowledge.”

Rey smiled apologetically. “I’m sorry to hear that. I’m guessing you’d rather be with him than on this stupid date.”

Mitaka smiled back. “I definitely would rather be there to comfort him in his time of need, but I can take him home some pie if you’d like to meet him.”

“If we have time after, sure!”

There was a long pause as they waited. Rey was back to looking at her phone and texting people. Mitaka looked around the diner, almost forgetting what this place looked like, but he was glad to see it mostly the same as he remembered it. He had turned twenty-one the last time he ate there, just over a year before his father was killed in Iraq, and it still felt as cozy as ever.

Mitaka and Rey’s dinner soon arrived and they began to eat. During pauses to drink and let their food settle, Rey started asking him some questions.

“So, do you live with your mom? Where do you work? Oh, and why the hell were there so many people at your _house_?!”

Mitaka laughed before answering them in order. “Yes, I live with my mother and all of her adopted children and my siblings since I help take care of them. As for my job, I am a bounty hunter and I catch criminals that missed their court dates. I work for Snoke’s Bondsman Agency.”

“I pass by there sometimes. I think one of you over-compensates for something though. They must fancy themselves a bad ass.”

Thinking Rey was referring to Poe Dameron’s car, Mitaka smiled in amusement. “Nah, the bad ass one is yours truly.”

“Haha, oh totally!” They both laughed before continuing to eat. “…So your parents adopted many of the kids?”

“Yep.”

“That’s super sweet of them!”

“Yeah, but it’s also super annoying!” Rey chuckled before eating the last piece of fruit from her bowl. They finished eating, Mitaka ordered some pies to go, and then they waited on the check. “Living at home wouldn’t be so bad if it wasn’t overcrowded and we could afford to live comfortably. A lot of my earnings go to the house, bills, and the kids because my mum is on disability and can’t work. If I didn’t feel guilty about leaving, I’d move in with Hux. I can be myself around him, you know?” Rey nodded. Their pies arrived in boxes with the check laying on top of one. Mitaka thanked the waitress, he and Rey picked up the boxes, and then they paid at the register. Mitaka smiled at the elderly lady that had just finished giving the cooks new orders. “Thanks for the great service as always, Dottie. Say hello to Frank for me.”

“Oh I will dear, thank you,” the woman said with a slightly shaking voice.

With a wave, Mitaka and Rey finally left the diner and returned to the car.

“Let me call Hux really fast to let him know we’re coming by with pie,” Mitaka said after unlocking the doors and setting his two boxes on the roof of the car.

“Sure.”

Taking out his cell phone as Rey helped put the boxes inside, Mitaka turned on the screen, opened his address book, and typed in Hux’s nickname to get his number quickly. Once it was on screen, he tapped it and then lifted it to his head. There was a long pause as he waited for Hux to pick up.

“_Evening.”_

“Hey, Hux, it’s me.”

“_I know, Mit. How’s the dinner going?”_

“Mom sprung a surprise trap on me after I got home,” Mitaka answered. “She made me go on a date with a woman.”

“_Ouch.”_

“Yeah, but it was fun. Anyway, my date wants to meet you.”

“_Does she? I don’t know, not sure I’m up for visitors tonight. I just had to deal with my dad’s family for the last two hours on call.”_

“I have Dottie’s famous apple crumble pie.”

“…_I’ll see you in a bit.”_

Mitaka smiled. “Okay, cool. We’re five minutes away. See you soon.”

“_Yup.”_

They both hung up. Mitaka put the phone away, opened his door, and then got in, Rey following suit. “So we can stay for a bit before we go home. The dinner should be done soon.”

“That’s fine.”

After turning the car on and putting it in reverse, Mitaka drove out of the diner parking lot, got back on the road, and then they drove through the smaller communities for a few minutes before getting into Hux’s not so good neighborhood. Rey didn’t seem to be bothered by the rundown buildings or the not-so-nice-looking teens walking to the liquor store. They soon made it to the apartments that Hux lived in. Rey looked at the apartment in curiosity.

“Not to sound like a jackass, but why does he live in this crappy neighborhood if he’s rich?”

Mitaka looked up at the apartment building too. “Well, Hux swore off his dad’s family once he was financially able to, but then the money he saved up eventually ran out and he moved here and has lived here ever since. His grandfather that just died paid for his rent to help him out. I have no clue what Hux plans to do now that he’s gone.”

“I see.”

After a few more seconds of silent staring, Mitaka looked down at the boxes set between the two seats and only needed to open one to see that it was the correct pie. The duo then got out of the car, Mitaka locked it after the doors were closed, and then they both headed for the apartment. Stepping onto the step, Mitaka knocked and then they waited. The sound of a dead bolt and a sliding chain could faintly be heard from within and then the door was opened. Standing in the doorway and looking slightly disheveled and with a bare chest was Hux.

“Yes, may I-? Oh hey, Mit…” Smiling, Mitaka held up the box and opened the lid to show Hux the pie inside. As he breathed in, the warm smell of the spiced apples filled his nose and he was suddenly feeling hungry. Hux then stepped aside, allowing access to his home. “Come in.”

Handing the box to him, Mitaka stepped aside to reveal Rey standing patiently behind him. “After you, m’lady.”

“Never call me that again.”

Mitaka just chuckled as Rey walked in, and he followed inside, closing the door behind him. Hux took the box into the kitchen and set it down on the counter before coming back to the living room.

“Sorry for the mess, been having a bad day.”

Rey smiled apologetically at him. “Mitaka told me. I’m very sorry for your loss.”

The group moved to a couch and chair as Hux said, “Thank you.” They sat down and were silent for a while, Rey glancing around to get a good feel for the place. “…So I take it you know Mitaka is gay.”

Rey looked at Hux, smiling. “Yeah, we were both roped into this date by our mothers. I’m actually a lesbian, but only a few people know that, mum not included.”

“Sorry about that.”

There was another pause before Mitaka chimed in next. “So did you discuss what to do about your grandfather? Are you going to have a funeral and burial and such for him?”

Hux shrugged. “We don’t know yet. In a few days, we have to see his attorney to go over his Last Will and Testament, which details what he wanted done upon his passing. I had to leave the phone for a few minutes after Brendol’s mother made some offhanded comment about my mom and her family.”

Mitaka gave him a sympathetic look. “I’m so sorry, Hux.”

Looking off to the side, Hux said somberly, “Yeah…”

A harsh silence filled the room and no one knew what else to say, so they just sat there for a while. Rey was texting her mother about coming home soon, before putting the phone away and leaning back into the couch.

“…Do you wanna talk about it?” Mitaka suddenly asked after a long time of quiet.

Glancing at Rey out of the corner of his eye, Hux replied, “Not really.”

Realizing why he seemed reluctant, Rey said, “I could go wait in the car in case you wanted to talk. I don’t mind.”

“It’s not just because you’re here. He’s been on my mind all day and I need a break from it until we go over his Will later.”

“Ah, gotcha.”

Mitaka began to stand up, saying, “We should probably head home anyway.” Nodding, Hux and Rey also stood up, and then Rey headed for the door. Mitaka stepped up to Hux, smiling weakly at him and his exhausted-looking face. “You take it easy tonight, okay? Even if you have to eat the entire pie by yourself, I won’t judge.” Mitaka smiled amusedly at that. When Hux didn’t respond, Mitaka stepped closer, lifted his arms and stood up on tip-toe, and then pulled him into a loving embrace. Hux hesitantly hugged back, exhaling out of his mouth. “When you’re ready to talk, call or text me.”

“Okay,” Hux whispered.

Pulling back, Mitaka stared into Hux’s eyes for a second before closing his own and gently pressing their mouths together in a loving kiss. “I love you.”

They kissed again before Hux said, “Love you too.”

After another warm and loving embrace, Mitaka lowered his arms and stepped back, smiling at Hux. “Good night.”

“Night.”

Hesitating momentarily as he continued walking backwards, Mitaka finally waved a good-bye, turned around, and followed Rey outside, fishing out his keys. Hux came up behind them, holding the door open with his hand and watching them head for Mitaka’s car. When Rey reached the passenger side and waited for the car to be unlocked, she smiled at Hux, said good-bye and that she was glad to have met him, and then looked away as she opened the now unlocked car. Hux watched them get in the car and drive away before gently and silently closing the door, putting the locks back on, and then looking around his messy living room that was normally clean and spotless. Sighing, he moved to the kitchen, opened his silverware drawer, and then grabbed a large spoon before opening the pie container and stabbing the middle of it with the tip of the spoon. He then scooped a large bite out, lifted it to his face, but then stopped, staring blankly at it.

Dropping the bite back into the pie plate, spoon and all, Hux placed his elbows on the counter, placed his eyes into his hands, and leaned over the box, gripping at his forehead with his fingers as he began to sob and cry in anguish.

* * *

Unknowing of the turmoil Hux was currently going through, Mitaka pulled his car up to his usual parking space, since almost everyone had left already. Rey and Mitaka sat there in silence for a bit. Not long later, Rey exhaled for two seconds.

“Do you think Hux will be okay?”

Mitaka looked at her, somewhat surprised. “You just met him and you’re worried about him?”

Rey stared out the window for a few more seconds before looking at him. “I can’t really explain it, but there have been times when I could sense when something’s not right or people feel bad on the inside even though they don’t show it on the outside, and I just got that feeling with Hux. So yeah, I’m worried about a total stranger because there’s just something extremely off about Hux’s…_aura_, I guess you could call it.”

“Huh,” Mitaka said after looking out the windshield. “Well, then to answer your question, I think he will be, eventually. Believe me, he’s tough, even if he doesn’t look like it. Besides, he always gets in contact with me when he’s in dire straits.”

“Alright, if you say so.”

After another pause, the duo finally started getting out of the car, Rey reaching into the back pocket of her jeans for her phone. Mitaka grabbed the pie boxes and then they slammed their doors shut and Mitaka locked his car up, alarm and all.

“Hey, can I get your digits?” Rey asked as they headed up the driveway to reach the front door.

Looking up as he got out his house key, Mitaka blinked in surprise. “For what?”

“To keep in touch. Despite being forced on this dumb date, I had a good time and you seem like a decent guy, so I’d like to be friends, if that’s okay?”

Mitaka was speechless. He couldn’t remember ever having a girl as a friend before, so he didn’t know how to react. “Oh, um, yeah, sure, I guess?”

Setting the box on the ground at their feet, Mitaka pocketed his keys, took out his phone, and opened his address book. They then swapped phones, input their numbers, and then swapped back to look at them.

“Okay, cool,” Rey said before turning the phone off and pocketing it. She then smiled at Mitaka as he did the same and then grabbed the pie boxes again. “So…ready to face our overly questioning mothers, Mit?”

Reaching into his pocket for his keys again, Mitaka said, “As ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Same.”

Stepping past Rey to reach the door, he inserted the house key into the lock and then opened the door, twisting the key back around and taking it out at the same time. They both went inside, seeing the living room less empty than when Mitaka first came home. A movie was playing on the TV. Rey’s mother was on the couch now. When they heard the door open, Mitaka’s mom paused the movie and then looked to them, smiling.

“You’re back early. Did you guys have fun?”

Rey put on a fake happy expression. “We sure did, ma’am. Dopheld was a right ol’ gentleman.”

“Oh yes, Dopheld is always the best of my oldest children. Aren’t you, Doph?”

Mitaka scowled at his mother. “Ma, you’re embarrassing me!”

“Well, anyway,” Rey said, turning to her mom, “I’m really tired, mom. Could we go home?”

“Of course sweetheart.”

Satine stood up and thanked Mitaka’s mother for a pleasant dinner and visit as Mitaka gave one of the pie boxes to Rey. The mother and daughter duo then left, closing the door silently behind them. Going to the kitchen, Mitaka put the pie in the microwave, grabbed a bottle of water for a nightcap, left the kitchen, and then was about to go upstairs when his mother stopped him.

“Aren’t you going to tell me how your date went?”

Stopping on the first step, Mitaka looked back. “We went to Dotty’s Diner, walked around town for a bit, and then came back. Good night.”

“Could you do the dishes first?”

Mitaka glared at her. “Ma, I work early tomorrow! Get Daryl to do it! Or put your bratty little children to work for Pete’s sake!” Looking away, Mitaka hurried up the stairs. “I can’t fricken do everything around here!”

Before his mother could protest, Mitaka disappeared down the dimly lit hallway and then reached his room near the back. One of his older sister’s doors was open and, from her bed, she saw him jerking his door open.

“Have a nice date?”

“No.”

Mitaka slammed his door shut before going straight to his bed and sitting on it. Leaning against his headboard filled with an assortment of books and setting the water bottle down, he pulled out his cell phone and then started a text message to Hux.

***Hey, I just got home and wanted to check up on you. Are you okay?***

Mitaka waited for a while before he got a reply: ***I broke the shower door.***

***How did that happen?***

***…I punched it.***

Mitaka sighed tiredly before replying: ***Is your hand okay? You didn’t hurt yourself, did you?***

***Just a few minor scratches on my knuckles and fingers when I tried picking up the glass.***

***Tomorrow, you and I will buy a shower curtain.***

***I hate those things. The lining sticks to me.***

***Well, I’d rather you be safe than sorry, lest you cut or hurt yourself even worse if it were to happen again.***

***…Yeah, okay. Thanks.*** There was a short pause before a new reply came: ***I’m sorry I was so cold to that Rey girl tonight. Is she okay?***

Mitaka smiled at the phone. ***Yeah, she’s fine. She was really worried about you though.***

***Oh… Sorry.***

***Don’t be. We’re friends now, so we should hangout sometime soon.***

***Maybe.*** There was a pause before Hux added: ***I love you, Doph.***

***I love you too, Hux. Just try to get some sleep, okay?***

***Okay, I’ll try.***

***Good night.***

***Yeah. Night…***

Mitaka waited a few minutes to see if Hux texted anymore, but when none came, he turned off the screen, set it on his nightstand, and then curled up on his side to drift off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

It was dark inside Mitaka’s house the next morning. The sunlight was just barely rising, making the birds and squirrels roam around in search of breakfast. Nothing seemed to stir except for the early commuters and light wind and bugs flying around. Everything was silent and peaceful and—

_PHONE CALL! _In his bedroom upstairs, Mitaka bolted up in bed, feeling disoriented as his cell phone rang on his bedside table, just inches from his head. _PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL! _Jerking his hand to the side, he fumbled for his phone, barely able to open his eyes. _PHONE CALL! PHONE CALL! _The second he grabbed it and turned on the screen, he slammed his thumb on the answer button, shutting the ringtone up. He then held it to his ear.

“Ngh, wh-what?”

“_Oh shoot, did I wake you?” _Mitaka knew the voice all too well. _“It’s Finn by the way.”_

“Yeah, yeah, I got that. What do you want?”

“…_Guess your alarm hasn’t even gone off yet.” _Pulling his phone away from his head, Mitaka glanced at the time, squinting to read the big, black numbers. The alarm would go off in ten minutes. _“Anyway, I hate to bug you, but my car won’t start. I think I forgot to fill the tank.”_ Finn sighed. _“Again.”_

Mitaka quickly rubbed his face with his hand. “You want me…t-to pick you up?”

“_If that’s alright with you. My usual borrowed ride isn’t available at the moment.”_

Mitaka yawned loudly. “I-Ith’s no problem.” Mitaka shook his head before continuing. “I’ll come get you in half an hour.”

“_Okay, I’ll wait for you then. And thanks.”_

“Welcome,” Mitaka said, slurring slightly before another yawn.

Finn hung up. Hanging up too, Mitaka turned off his alarm, set the phone back on the bedside table, and then got out of bed to take a shower.

* * *

Mitaka’s black Subaru pulled up to the curb in front of a small, one-story, light blue house with a window on each side of the front door. The paint was chipping in some places. The porch stretched the length of the house and there was a small, white, swinging bench with a flowered cushion on the seat to the right of the door. Mitaka honked his horn to signal he was there. Not long after, the door slowly opened and a black man came out of the house. He closed the door behind him and locked it before turning around and going down the steps. Reaching the car, he opened the passenger door and got in. He smiled at Mitaka.

“Thanks again, man.”

Mitaka nodded. “No problem, Finn.”

Finn was five-foot-nine. He had dark brown eyes and black hair. He wore a black shirt under a brown and red leather jacket, black jeans, and had messily tied, white sneakers covered in dirt on his feet. One of the jean’s pockets bulged out slightly from his thigh. After he made sure Finn had his seat belt on, Mitaka put the car into drive and gently pushed on the gas pedal. Once he pulled out onto the lonely stretch of road, he picked up speed.

“I almost don’t like you picking me up for the sole purpose of you being in my neighborhood,” Finn said out of the blue. “And it ain’t just because you’re white, its this nice car. The only kind you see around here are junk cars with busted hoods, doors that have broken locks, and are covered in graffiti. I bet a lot of my neighbors were wondering what a rich-looking white guy was doing on their block. Then they see me come out of my house and get into it.”

Mitaka didn’t say anything or take his eyes off the road. They soon left Finn’s poor neighborhood and entered a much cleaner one with apartment complexes, a gas station, and a few stores. There weren’t many single-family houses in this neighborhood. Some people were jogging or walking their dog and there were at least five cars driving through.

“Dude, I wish my momma and I lived in Hux’s neighborhood. It looks so cozy and nice.”

Mitaka chuckled. “Trust me, Hux’s may look nice, but gang members live in a lot of these apartments and cause trouble at the local stores.”

“Well, better than my neighborhood, that’s for sure. My family and I are, like, the only black people around my neighborhood not affiliated with a gang. I’m a peace keeper, not a fighter.”

Mitaka pulled into the parking lot of Hux’s apartment complex. He was standing at the curb, waiting for them with his arms folded over his chest. He looked a little cold as he walked to the back of the car. A small breeze entered the vehicle when he opened the back door. After sidling in, he slammed the door shut.

“Morning Mit.” Hux looked up from the middle seat and leaned in, looking at Finn. “Morning, Shorty.”

Finn groaned. “I’m only a few inches shorter than you, man! Gimme a break!”

Hux just shrugged, making Mitaka roll his eyes. “Just get your damn seat belt on.”

Hux quickly buckled up before staring out the window to watch the stores, building, plants, and drivers go by. Finn folded his arms over his chest and snorted. Mitaka drove out of the parking lot and headed for the main part of the city. Minutes later and he pulled up behind Poe’s Ferrari. Mitaka turned off the car and the three men got out. After locking up, they headed inside Snoke’s Bondsman Agency, where Poe was waiting and standing by the desk. He had his arms folded over his chest with a scowl plastered on his face. Knowing it was directed at him, Mitaka stopped a few feet away while Finn went to the filing cabinets and Hux entered Snoke’s office. The two bounty hunters were silent for a few seconds.

“You’ve got a lot of nerve, you know that,” Poe said, his eyes looking murderous.

Mitaka looked honestly lost. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Poe growled. “Yeah, you do. You took the Ben Solo case; Snoke told me. You don’t have what it takes to capture him. _I _should be on this case, not you. I’ve been a bounty hunter for four years, whereas you’ve been for barely a year. You don’t deserve this case. Whether you like it or not, you’re still a rookie. If you know what’s good for you, you’d hand the job over to me.”

Hux came out of the office, closing the door behind him. He went to the inside of his desk. “Good luck getting it,” he said to Poe, staring at his computer as he turned it on. “Mitaka is too stubborn to hand it over to you.”

Poe turned his angry gaze on him. “Shut up, pixie dust.” He looked back at Mitaka, letting Hux shake his head in disapproval without him seeing. “I won’t let you make a fool of me. Only _I’m_ worthy of capturing Solo and putting the maniac behind bars, _not_ you.”

Finn was slowly inching his way around the filing cabinet to hide behind it. He hated seeing Poe this upset over something so petty. Mitaka didn’t seem to care, seeing as he smirked.

“Aww, what’s the _matter_, Poe? Annoyed that I’m catching up to you in number of captures? Or are you just jealous that I beat you to this case?”

Lowering his arms from his chest, Poe took a threatening step towards him. “Jealous of a five-foot tall brat that smells like cheap hair gel? My _grandma_ wouldn’t even be jealous of you! If you even _try_ to catch Solo, he’ll chew you up and spit you out before you can cry for your daddy’s military friends to save your scrawny ass! You don’t have the knowledge or skills to catch Solo! Now _give me_ his file!”

An awkward silence followed Poe’s angry banter. The two bounty hunters were glaring daggers at one another, neither daring to blink. After a few more seconds, Mitaka smirked.

“You mad, _bro_?”

No one saw it coming. Poe slammed Mitaka into a filing cabinet, gripping his shirt with both of his hands. “Don’t you _ever_ call me that,” he said dangerously. Mitaka glared at him. “Never, in a million _years_, would you be a friend of mine. Besides, you’re nothing but an arrogant, privileged, _white_ kid.” Poe forced Mitaka against the filing cabinet before releasing him and storming towards the door. “I hope Solo beats you to a bloody pulp! And don’t you dare come crying to me when he does!”

Poe slammed the door shut behind him, making the window shudder violently. The small building was dead silent then. Straightening up, Mitaka dusted himself off and smoothed his shirt down.

“Jesus, he’s worse when he’s jealous,” he said out loud, mostly to himself. “How did such a whiny baby become a bounty hunter anyway?”

Finn came out of his hiding place, looking sympathetic. “I don’t think that’s all that’s bothering him.”

Mitaka turned to him. “How would you know?”

“All I will say is that Poe tells me things he would never tell the two of you.”

“Like what?” Hux asked, not looking away from his computer screen.

Finn shook his head. “I promised not to say anything. He trusts me enough to keep it to myself, so that’s why he told me the things I can’t say. Let’s just say Poe has a legit reason for his moods.”

Mitaka looked at Hux in silent question. Shrugging, Finn walked past Mitaka to go to the storage room. After the door closed behind him, Hux and Mitaka started talking about Poe’s deal.

“Maybe it’s family related,” Hux suggested.

“That would make sense,” Mitaka agreed. “Wasn’t his dad in the paper recently?”

“I don’t remember. Could have something to do with his mother.”

“Does he even _have_ one?” Hux and Mitaka were silent for a moment. “Maybe he’s having family trouble. Could be the reason Poe became a bounty hunter in the first place. Maybe some gang or something attacked his family and he vowed to apprehend fugitives.”

“Or he can’t afford college to become a cop, so he became a bounty hunter instead. Still, those don’t seem like legit reasons to be a jerk to only you.”

Mitaka slumped down in a chair. “Well whatever it is, he better get over it. If he ever took a swing at one of us-”

The storage door opened and Finn stepped out. He closed the door behind him, holding a few blank folders for the filing cabinets. Ignoring the two, he got to work. The room became silent for a few minutes except for the rustling of papers and Hux typing on the computer. Mitaka was playing Tetris on his cell phone. Twenty minutes later, Snoke entered the building in his suit and tie. He looked more angry and tired than usual.

“No one disturb me unless it’s important,” he grumbled as he headed for his office.

Mitaka turned off his cell phone and stood up. “Sir, I could go out and buy you a java, if you want one.” Rather than give him an answer, Snoke slammed his door shut, leaving Mitaka, Finn, and Hux in confused wonderment. “Er, okay…” Finn and Mitaka circled Hux’s desk to talk quietly among themselves. “Does he seem sick to you?”

“I noticed that too,” Finn agreed. “Wish he would confide in us. What if he’s got cancer or something? We have a right to know that.”

“He probably just had a bad night,” Hux said, leaning back in his chair. “He should just go home.”

“Well whatever is wrong, I’m sure he’d appreciate a donut,” Finn suggested.

Finn and Hux looked at Mitaka expectantly. He looked at them back and forth a few times. “What?”

“I want a glazed and cream-filled one,” Hux said, while Finn said at the same time, “They have new birthday cake donuts, they’re so _good_!”

“Whoa, okay, one at a time guys!” For a full minute, one at a time, thankfully, Hux and Finn gave Mitaka their orders. Once he had inputted them into his phone, he pocketed it and then headed for the door. “Okay, be back soon. But Hux, you get to pick up lunch!”

“You’re not the boss of me!”

Looking back as he stood in the doorway, Mitaka smirked at him. “Yeah, well I should be.”

“You-!”

Before Hux could finish, Mitaka scurried out, returned to his car, and then got in before leaving the curb. Later that afternoon, Mitaka was called into Snoke’s office. Mitaka sat down in the chair opposite his desk and smiled.

“Hello, sir. Was your donut okay?” Snoke didn’t answer. Mitaka blushed faintly and then swallowed. “Er, anyway, yes, sir?”

“I wanted to see how you were doing with the Kylo Ren case you took. Have you started looking for him yet?”

Mitaka nodded. “Yes sir, I went to his warehouse yesterday. Unfortunately, it was a bad visit. He said he’d reschedule himself, but seeing as you’re asking, that didn’t happen.”

“Yes, never trust a criminal, amateur or otherwise,” Snoke said with conviction. “Starting today, you have twelve days to get him to jail. Don’t make me regret letting you keep this job, otherwise I’ll have no choice but to fire you. Is that clear?”

Mitaka swallowed nervously. “Yes, sir, crystal.”

Snoke dismissed him with a disgruntled tone. Mitaka walked out of his office and closed his door. Hux looked up from his computer with a knowing look on his face.

“I told you he wouldn’t go.”

Mitaka glowered at him, walking to the desk. “Shut up.”

Hux actually managed a smile. At least he was feeling a little better. “You’ll just have to go to his house and try again then.” Mitaka snorted and then picked his list of FTAs off the desk. “Just don’t let him flirt with you again.”

Mitaka’s head jerked up at him. “What? Flirting? When did Ren do that? He hardly spoke ten words!”

Hux pretended to think back to yesterday with his finger tapping his chin as he leaned back in his chair. “Well first off, he called you ‘little bounty hunter’ and told you not to worry about him.” He looked at Mitaka, looking smug. Oh yes, Hux was feeling _so much_ better today. “And from what I hear, Ren has this weird, little purr to his voice. Did you pay any attention to the way he spoke?”

Snorting, Mitaka folded his arms over his chest, his list tucked under his armpit. “Your logic astounds me sometimes. If he _was_ flirting, I’m sure he would’ve touched me in some strange way.”

Hux’s eyes were completely white as he had an evil grin on his face now. “Oh, but he _did_ touch you, didn’t he?”

Mitaka looked impassive. “You’re an idiot.”

He headed for the door. Hux chuckled after him.

“You know I’m right.”

“No you’re not!”

The door closed behind Mitaka as he headed for his car. He decided to collect the smaller charges before heading off to Ren’s home. It took about two hours to get all four. After getting his paper slips that Snoke needed to sign, Mitaka headed out-of-town. He zoomed down the highway at sixty miles an hour. The radio was playing soft and quiet inside the car. Reaching a turnpike that went out onto a small, paved road directly alongside the highway five minutes later, Mitaka turned on his blinker and started easing onto the road, which was slightly uphill. Small trees and plants surrounded the road. At the top of the hill, he had to turn the car to the right onto another, slimmer paved road that was flat and going straight as far as the eye could see. Ren’s house was back at least ten minutes. Taking a deep breath—trying to take his mind off what Hux had said—Mitaka drove slowly, not wanting the low tree branches to ding his car. The forest area was dense and hard to see through.

Twelve minutes later, the plants started to clear and the road started to widen. In the distance, Mitaka could see a big, white house that reminded him of a large plantation house. There was a large fountain in front of it, which was surrounded by an area of grass within a concrete circle. Water was coming out of several holes in it and circulating through the pool. The driveway that boxed in the fountain was nothing but sand and dirt. Mitaka drove the car around it, slowing to a stop in front of white marble steps. Turning off the car, he looked out his passenger window at the house.

The porch was the entire length of the house and spacious. On the left of the door sat a white, round table with four chairs pushed in. The windows were half-covered by plain, light gray drapes on the inside. Perfectly trimmed, green bushes and a few sets of flowers were spread out evenly on either side of the stairs, covering the full front of the house. There were several trees planted around the large yard of beautiful green grass. To Mitaka, it didn’t seem like a gangster’s house. The property was just a little _too_ perfect. Mitaka then wondered what the rest of the house looked like.

‘_Only one way to find out.’_

Sighing, Mitaka took his key out of the ignition and then opened his door. He got out, locked the door behind him, placed the keys in his pocket, and walked around the car. The wind was blowing gently, making his hair dance. He casually walked up onto the porch and went to the door. It was tall and made out of plain oak. There was a cute little oval window that made the inside look blurry if he looked in. There was a large, black, steel knocker underneath it, perfectly centered on the door. Now Mitaka knew it was official. There was no way in hell this house belonged to the notorious drug and weapons dealer Kylo Ren. Mitaka had a feeling the inside was huge and filled with tons of furniture. There couldn’t be enough time in Ren’s life to keep a place this big so perfectly clean _and _still be out to deal with his drugs and weapons. Mitaka suddenly groaned.

“Jeez, way to stereotype there, dummy.”

Mitaka had no place to judge a man he didn’t know. If he wanted to survive this, he needed to keep his head on straight and not say anything stupid. He didn’t need yesterday’s relapse.

Having stalled long enough with his observations, Mitaka grabbed the knocker and hit the base with it three times. He let it go and then took a step back. Nothing happened for half a minute. A shadow soon approached the door, Mitaka seeing its blurred reflection in the glass window. From what he could tell, it was a bit taller than Ren’s height. The door then opened, revealing a woman with short blonde hair, gorgeous dark blue with bits of green eyes, and wore a white shirt, blue jeans, and boots.

“May I help you?” she asked, her voice slightly deep for a cis woman’s.

Mitaka gave her a warm smile. “Yes, hello, I’m Mitaka from Snoke’s Bondsman Agency. I’m looking for Ben Solo. The other day, he missed his court date, and he told me he’d go reschedule himself last night, but he didn’t.”

The woman let out a small sigh. “Sometimes I don’t know what to do with him… My name is Penelope Phasma. I signed the bond agreement for Ben. Please, come in.” Phasma allowed Mitaka to pass her to walk into the foyer. He looked around the large space as he stepped a few feet inside. The ceiling was at least fifteen feet high. Mitaka was amazed. Phasma closed the door and then passed him. “I will let Ben know you are here.”

“Thanks.”

Phasma walked away and out of sight. Mitaka decided to explore the front of the house a bit while she was gone.

Beyond the foyer was a medium-sized living room that was almost a perfect square, though the width was longer than the length. There was a big fireplace on the left wall with a dark red, brick mantle. Inside the fireplace, there was a black, steel grate that held firewood. With it being spring, it was spotless, no speck of soot or dust in sight. The top of the mantle was bare. On the wall directly in front of Mitaka, there was a black, twenty-four-inch flat screen TV stuck to it. A four-seating, brown leather couch sat behind a glass coffee table with a few coasters spread out on the surface. A black La-Z-Boy recliner sat to the left of the table. Except for the TV, the walls were bare. The floor was covered in soft, flat, very light gray, almost white, carpet. There weren’t any stains present on the floor or walls. Having seen enough, Mitaka returned to the foyer, in which Phasma stepped in from a door that led into a hall. She nodded at Mitaka.

“He will be out in a minute. May I get you anything to drink?”

Mitaka shook his head. “No thanks.” He motioned to the living room with his hand. “The house is spotless. How does Ren have so much time to keep it clean?”

Phasma bowed slightly, causing Mitaka to blink. “I am Ben’s personal aide. I serve him twenty-four hours a day, six days a week. I clean and make his meals. I have Sundays off, unless he desperately needs me, which doesn’t often happen.”

Well there was the answer to that mystery. Mitaka felt really stupid now after his first thoughts on Ren.

“Did he buy this house?” he asked.

“Ben inherited the house from his late grandfather a few years ago,” Phasma said. “He grew up here with his parents, who divorced when he was in his early twenties. He was a little reluctant in keeping the house because of it, so instead, he ended up getting rid of any evidence of their past life here. His outlook on life hasn’t quite been the same since then.”

Mitaka nodded. That explained the second mystery of why the place looked so boring and empty. The bounty hunter wanted to ask if this was about the time Ren became a gangster, but thought it was better not to pry too much into his private life. There was a chance Phasma knew about the drugs and weapons, but better for Mitaka to keep his mouth shut on the matter, just in case Phasma knew nothing. Mitaka didn’t want to trouble such a kind, gorgeous woman.

The door Phasma had come back in from suddenly opened. They both turned to it and saw Ren enter the room. He was wearing black gym shorts and nothing else. He ran a white towel quickly through his sweaty hair, his bare feet padding softly across the tiled foyer floor. Once he was a few feet from them, Ren stopped, staring at Mitaka. He had the same blank look on his face as yesterday.

“I’ll start making dinner,” Phasma said.

Phasma turned and headed off as Ren asked, “What does the little bounty hunter want this time?”

With Phasma’s back to them, Mitaka folded his arms over his chest, looking slightly annoyed. He waited for her to be out of earshot before speaking. “The same thing I came to see you about yesterday. You told me you’d reschedule yourself and I found out today that you didn’t. If there’s one thing I hate about criminals, it’s the lying kind.” Ren didn’t say anything. Mitaka wondered what was going on inside his head. “I’m giving you a second chance since I believe everyone deserves one. But this time, I’m taking you in _myself_, in _my_ car. So instead of wasting too much of my time, why don’t you get yourself cleaned up and let’s go? It would only take forty-five minutes anyway. If you have time to workout, you have time to come to the police station with me.” Mitaka paused, hoping for some kind of reaction. Ren continued to stare at him impassively. “So are you coming or not?”

Ren was quiet for a few more seconds. “You’re very persistent.”

“You kind of have to be in my line of work,” Mitaka said firmly. “Bounty hunters always catch their perp. I’m not going to make the same mistake like yesterday twice. We’re going whether you like it or not.”

That was Mitaka’s final word on the matter. If Ren didn’t come quietly, he would drag him out. Somehow. The man gave a curt nod.

“Alright, fine, we’ll do it your way. Just give me ten minutes to clean up.”

Ren turned and walked towards the door. Mitaka started to follow.

“So you don’t stand me up, I’m keeping a close eye on you.”

“Lovely.”

Ren walked through the door, Mitaka following close behind. They walked down a short hall that reached a staircase. They started to climb to the second floor. Once on the landing, they went down another short hall and stopped in front of a plain white door. Mitaka looked around as they made their way through the house. There were three branching hallways connected to the main hallway. They had wide, white doors on both sides. The floors were all covered in the same carpet as in the living room and the walls were the same white color too. They walked to a wide hallway that was directly in the middle of the house. Ren made his way down it, Mitaka still following closely.

Reaching a door on the right side at about three-fourths of the way down, Ren opened it and walked through, revealing a large, master bedroom with a high ceiling. They walked in, Mitaka stopping close to the door. He examined the room. Diagonally across from the bedroom door was another door that led into a bathroom, which was slightly ajar. To Mitaka’s left, closest to the door, there was a big office desk with a wood-shelving unit attached to the wall. They were covered in stacks of papers, envelopes, and office supplies. A black laptop sat almost perfectly in the middle, a printer sitting beside it. Cords were sticking through holes that had been drilled into the shelving that were attached to the computer and printer. They were out of sight and out-of-the-way. Then there were two closets on both sides of the room; one by the desk, the other close to the bathroom door. Across the room, almost directly in the middle away from the bathroom, was a king-sized bed with a dark oak canopy. The black cover was folded nicely at the foot of the bed. Dark gray satin sheets were placed under the pillows, which were covered in the same satin material. The room was fairly clean except for some of the desk shelves. Ren was currently shifting through a drawer in his dresser that was next to the closet by the desk. Mitaka was looking the opposite way, his arms folded over his chest.

“You have a nice house, I’ll give you that.” He looked at Ren, who slammed the drawer shut. “It’s just a bit too dull for my tastes.”

Ren didn’t look at him as he headed for the bathroom, carrying clean boxers, a pair of dark blue jeans, and a black tank top in his hands. “I am a man of simple décor.” He entered the bathroom. “Just give me ten minutes.”

Ren gently closed the door behind him. Mitaka heard the shower head turn on full blast not long later. For a couple of minutes he stood where he was, staring at the door. Lowering his arms from his chest, he walked around the room finally, checking the closet by the bathroom. There were a few shelves with bath and hand towels and shower supplies in it. Clicking his tongue on the roof of his mouth, Mitaka went to the bed to inspect the canopy. He felt the smooth wood under his fingertips. The design was fairly simple. At the top of each pier was some Victorian-looking arrowhead. The wood was a few different shades of brown that flowed in odd waves down the length of the legs. The cleanliness of the room actually made Mitaka feel a small pang of jealousy since his room was pretty messy all the time. He didn’t like anyone coming into his room, so no one ever picked up after him or went in without permission.

Turning away from the bed, Mitaka looked at the desk. He quickly noticed something that hadn’t been there when he first walked in. Eyes widening slightly, he made his way over to the closest corner. Stopping, he slowly reached for the small plastic bag and picked it up. A strange white powder was sealed shut inside. Mitaka looked dumbstruck.

“There is no way he can be _this_ stupid.” Mitaka was fairly certain the white powder was cocaine. What kind of drug dealer left evidence lying around for anyone to find? A smirk formed on Mitaka’s face suddenly. This was actually perfect. He could hide this package in his pocket, drive Ren to the police station, and, while they took him in the back to the holding cells, show the cocaine to the chief for a search warrant. This was the perfect evidence to find the rest of Ren’s stash and bust him for good. This made Mitaka really happy. “Am I the luckiest bounty hunter or what?”

Mitaka suddenly sensed someone behind him. The color drained from his face and his eyes widened. He was still holding the package in the palm of his left hand when another one of slender pale fingers reached over his shoulder and took it from him. Closing his mouth, Mitaka swallowed hard and slowly started looking over his shoulder. Ren stood behind him, his face calm and full of mystery, especially in his dark eyes. A cold shiver ran through Mitaka’s body.

“It’s a shame you fell for the fake cocaine trick,” Ren said, his voice a soft tone. Mitaka sensed he was in big trouble now. A voice could tell a lot about a person. “And you are right, I am _far_ from _stupid_.”

After staring into Ren’s cold eyes a few seconds longer, Mitaka tried to bolt to his left. The chair got in his way and he tripped over one of the legs. He tried to scramble away and get to his feet, but Ren grabbed a fistful of his hair and yanked him backwards onto his feet. Mitaka growled loudly in pain as a few strands were pulled out. He tried to grab his stun gun out of his pocket, but, seeing the sudden move, Ren’s other hand darted out and beat him to it. He yanked the stun gun out, pressed the tips to Mitaka’s neck, and pressed the button. As an electric shock traveled through his entire head and shoulders to blast him, Mitaka cried out in pain, and then blacked out.

**Author's Note:**

> *EDIT* Hux is going to be Mitaka's boyfriend, not Kylo Ren, so if you've already read this and get confused in future chapters, that's what I've decided. I'll be making note of it in chapter 2's AN too just in case!
> 
> Next chapter, Snoke comes into play and he’ll make minor appearances sometimes. Originally I had made an OC named Melvin James to play the role, but I decided to scrap him for Snoke since he’s the boss man in TFA
> 
> Please let me know if you want to see me continue this! If it doesn't gain interest then I'll scrap it, but I'll let you be the judges of that!


End file.
